Ruth Wiener Einstein (1882-1977) was involved in numerous Jewish communal activities in Cleveland, Ohio. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, she was the daughter of Abraham Wiener (1839-1921) and Bella Aub Wiener ( ? -1923). Both the Wiener and Aub families were active in civic affairs. Ruth Einstein's grandfather, Abraham Aub (1813-1879), was a founder and the first president of the Jewish Orphan Home (later Bellefaire). Her father, Abraham Wiener, was the second president of Bellefaire and also served as Director of Charities and Corrections (1889-1901) under Cleveland Mayor John Farley. Bella Aub Wiener was one of the founders of the Cleveland Section, National Council of Jewish Women and the Council Educational Alliance (later the Jewish Community Center).
Ruth Wiener Einstein graduated from Central High School in 1900 and attended the College for Women of Western Reserve University, both in Cleveland. She married Jacob (a.k.a. Jac, Jack) L. Einstein ( ? -1919) on October 21, 1903. Jacob Einstein's father, Leopold, and several cousins named Ullman, founded a liquor business (Ullman Brothers, later Ullman, Einstein Company) which, by 1919, was one of the largest liquor distilleries in the United States. Ruth and Jac Einstein had three children: Paul (Einstein) Eden, Edith (Mrs. Samuel O. Freedlander), and Jane (Mrs. Eldy S. Gross).
Ruth Wiener Einstein founded Cleveland's Jewish Big Sisters in 1920 and later became chairman of that organization. She also served as a Board member of the Cleveland Section, National Council of Jewish Women; Montefiore Home; Jewish Orphan Home (Bellefaire); Jewish Family Service Association; Jewish Community Center; and the Jewish Community Federation. As a leader in the National Council of Jewish Women, she initiated a Craft Corner for Emigres, the Golden Age Lounge, and a resale shop known as the Thrift Shop, the income from which continues to help subsidize Council's philanthropic projects. She was also active in projects for the unemployed and chaired the National Council of Jewish Women Building Fund Campaign from 1947 to 1956. One of her most notable achievements was the founding of Council Gardens, a housing complex for the elderly, located near Mayfield and Taylor Roads in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. She conceived the idea for Council Gardens in 1954 and played a key role toward its realization in 1963/64. She was the recipient of the Charles Eisenman Award from the Jewish Community Federation in 1964, a special citation for leadership and community service from the United Appeal in 1965, and the Hannah G. Solomon Award from the National Council of Jewish Women in 1972.
The Ruth Wiener Einstein Papers, 1860-1977, consist primarily of correspondence, speeches, financial records, legal documents, newspaper clippings, and awards and tributes.
This collection is valuable to researchers interested in the communal leadership of Jewish women nationally and specifically in Cleveland, Ohio, between the 1930s and the 1970s. This collection is also of value to researchers interested in housing for the elderly during the same period. In addition, this collection will be of use to researchers interested in 19th century mercantile activity, notably the distillery and liquor business, as well as the inter-generational family history of German-Jewish Americans.
This collection is arranged in two series. Series I: Family and Communal Activity Materials, and Series II: Financial Materials - Family and Family Business. Both series are arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically. An oversize folder containing miscellaneous items from both series is arranged chronologically.
All photographs have been removed to the WRHS photographic collections.
Additional materials relating to the Ruth Wiener Einstein Family can be located in MS 3644 Ullman Family Papers; MS 3791 Edward Budwig Family Papers; MS 3671 Sigfried Einstein Papers; and MS Vertical Files relating to the Wiener, Baer, and Rueglander (Riglander) Families. Additional information about Bella Aub Wiener and Ruth Wiener Einstein can be found in MS 3620 and MS 4586 Cleveland Section, National Council of Jewish Women Records.
Processed by Marjorie R. Stern and Nancy F. Schwartz in 1994
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[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 4656 Ruth Wiener Einstein Family Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
Paul Eden, 1986; and Edith Freedlander, 1994.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.